POP ALBUM CHART : Vanilla Ice Is Still Hot

Vanilla Ice’s phenomenal “To the Extreme,” which has sold more than 6 million units in less than five months, continues to dominate the Billboard magazine pop chart. Its strongest competitor, M. C. Hammer’s “Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em,” has finally faltered, slipping from its perennial No. 2 slot down to No. 4. On the chart nearly a year, Hammer’s album has sold more than 9 million copies. The dance-music unit C&C; Music Factory has a big hit with the album “Gonna Make You Sweat,” which bolted up the Top 40, at No. 40, in just three weeks. The album is getting a big boost from the title song, which is No. 3 on the pop singles chart. Hot albums: Guy’s “The Future,” (No. 16), Ice Cube’s “Kill at Will” (No. 34) and Trixter’s “Trixter” (No. 38). Surface’s “The First Time” is the new No. 1 pop single.

* Hard-rocking Tesla is enjoying big success with an album that, for this band, veers off in another, quieter direction--”Five Man Acoustical Jam.” One of the surprise hits of the fall, it’s still going strong, jumping from No. 27 to No. 21, and looks like a sure bet to crack the Top 20.

Rank Rank 2 Weeks Title (Label) Last Week Weeks Ago on Chart 1.”To the Extreme” 1 1 19 Vanilla Ice (SBK) 2.”The Immaculate Collection” 3 3 9 Madonna (Sire/Warner Bros.) 3.”The Simpsons Sing the Blues” 4 7 6 The Simpsons (Geffen) 4.”Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em” 2 2 47 M.C. Hammer (Capitol) 5.”Mariah Carey” 5 4 31 Mariah Carey (Columbia) * “Five Man Acoustical Jam” 27 34 9 Tesla (Geffen)